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I am a HUGE fan of the Minnesota State Fair. I’m the type of fair-goer who arrives early for breakfast and stays ’til sundown. Most years I attend five or six full days. Typically, when people learn this scratch their heads and:

They ask me one of two questions:

How do you not gain 20 pounds every summer? (With the assumption I eat everything breaded, fried or slapped on a stick).

OR…

Don’t you starve? (With the assumption there are no healthy eats at the State Fair so I don’t eat a darn thing).

I am SO excited to shed some light on this and reveal how I, a Registered Dietitian who strives to eat PFC balanced meals and snacks, not only survives, but THRIVES at the State Fair! My goal as a fellow fair-goer is to provide you with my super strategies so that you can confidently attend the fair without feeling guilty or deprived.

State Fair Truths and Tips:

The fair has healthy foods! Yes the fair is notoriously and rightly known for its fried, sugar-coated, bad-for-your-waistline-foods. But, luckily I am here to tell you there are a PLETHORA of healthy eating options at the fair! So many that I go multiple times so I can enjoy all of my favorite eats without stuffing myself all in one day. There are so many high quality food options that I see no need to fill up on junk—junk that spike your blood sugar levels and makes you happy for a short while, only to leave you crashing and with a big stomach ache later. Yuck. Why do we do that to ourselves? Let’s take the opportunity to indulge in tasty, delicious AND nutritious foods instead of stuffing our faces with grease and sugar, only to feel miserable later.

Sharing is a really good thing. Chances are you’re going to the fair with at least one friend, co-worker or family member, right? Perfect! SPLIT things. There is no reason why each family member needs to have their own basket of cheese curds, bucket of fries or cone of cookies. Fair foods are meant to be shared. It’s a win-win for your wallet, waistline AND allows you to try more foods! If you can handle it without going crazy, have a few tastes of foods that aren’t great for you, but mostly fill up on the nutritious offerings (Examples of my fave fair finds below).

Carbs will call your name. They really will and they do. Especially when your blood sugar levels are already low. That happens when you eat a lot of them. When it comes to carbohydrates, the more you eat, the more you crave, which is why it’s important to balance out your eating with protein and healthy fat — not just at the fair, but always. (Think PFC!) Be sure to start your day with some protein and be intentional as you work your way around the fair. Which leads me to my next point…

Dietitian Cassie and Corn on the cob!Being intentional is especially important at the fair. Just like in day-to-day healthy living, planning is CRUCIAL. Our clients tell us over and over again how they love being able to sit down in their personal coaching sessions and plan out their meals and snacks because when they have a plan they are prepared by being set up for success, and therefore, far less likely to fail. When you don’t have a plan is when you run into trouble. Be intentional with making sure you are getting in protein and healthy fat along with the carbs you’re consuming. (Side note: I’m not talking about the kind of fat they use to deep-fry, which is usually soybean or canola oil (read: inflammatory! Weight gain!). Healthy fat is the kind found in nuts, seeds and the butter they put on your corn on the cob. Protein isn’t too hard to find either: There are big slabs of meat and baskets of shrimp everywhere you look!

There’s more to the fair than food. I’m serious. I know a lot of people go to the fair to stuff themselves, then leave once they have overindulged to the point their belt doesn’t buckle… Personally, I go for the food AND everything else! The shows, the sights, the sounds, the shopping, the people watching…! There is more to the fair than food, my friends. Grab a map and a daily schedule as soon as you enter those pearly gates, so that you can plan your day around activities, and then fill in the gaps with fun foods. When the food becomes a BONUS and not the main reason for going, you are less likely to overeat and will surely get a much better overall experience.

You can eat healthy using your Blue Ribbon Bargain Book. Get the wild rice and beef cheeseburger from Wild Rice Specialties, skip the bun and use the coupon for the bowl of sliced watermelon at Veggie Pie, BOTH located in the food building.  The grilled wild Alaskan salmon burger from my list below is also a smart pick. Get a breakfast crepe (eggs, cheese and bacon) at French Creperie to start your day with PFC (protein, fat and carbohydrates). Top your burger with healthy fat — fresh guacamole from Tejas Express or splurge and eat it with the chips.

My Favorite Fair Foods:

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Mango with chili and lime on a stick. I can’t even DESCRIBE how amazing this is. Juicy, fresh, hydrating and ON A STICK! Can’t beat it. ($5, El Burrito Mercado in the International Bazaar).

Shrimp Cocktail. You won’t find another protein option for a BUCK (let me know if you do!). Even though it’s only a couple bites, I like to think of it as a quick protein punch. Grab 2 of these sans the sugary cocktail sauce and add a $3 cob of corn (with butter of course), and you’ve got yourself a thrifty $5 PFC balanced State Fair Meal  ($1, Lemonade and Shrimp Cocktail stand, Corner of Judson and Underwood.)

Grilled wild alaskan salmon burger. Skip the bun and eat it with the fresh lettuce and tomato. (Smokey’s Charbroiler, corner of Murphy Avenue and Underwood, across from Pet  20130825_151653_1Building.)

Fresh fruit and kombucha. This fruit stand has tons of exotic fruits to choose from including pluots (ever heard of a pluot?) and donut peaches (who needs mini donuts when you’ve got DONUT PEACHES!?). They also have refreshing kombucha on tap…yum! (Produce Exhange, north side of Judson, east of Underwood).

Sautéed alligator in garlic and olive oil. Truth: it wasn’t my absolute FAVORITE fair food, but it was a fun way to get in some protein while trying something new! It fell somewhere between chicken and fish on the flavor spectrum… ($8, Bayou Bob’s, on southeast corner of Nelson and Dan Patch.)

Portable carbs and fat. Get these to stash in your bag and have on hand to balance out your State Fair meals. Simply Nuts has a wide variety of healthy fats including mixed nuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and macadamia nuts, and healthy carbohydrates including dried fruits, banana chips and raisins. (Simply Nuts, in Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum.)

Last bit of advice: If you happen to overindulge at the fair, don’t sweat. A blow up day doesn’t need to mean complete failure!

Part of life is learning how to overcome obstacles while living a balanced lifestyle. I’m not one to order a bucket of Sweet Martha’s because I hate how my body feels after drowning it in sugar, but hey, if the person I’m with orders a bucket, I’m not sayin’ I won’t help him eat one or two to make sure the top is able to snap on. 🙂

Print this list, take it with you and try some new foods! And feel free to say ‘Hi’ if you see me. Chances are you’ll find me browsing the buildings, watching the Wild West Dog show or the amateur talent show, drilling the vendors on their cooking oil of choice and trying to beat the record I set for the arm-hang at the Marine contest (95 seconds!? I TOTALLY could have made it to 100!). Oh, and I may be tipping back a couple Beergaritas, too. The fair only comes once a year, right!? I hate beer, and margaritas are too sweet, so Beergaritas are HEAVEN-SENT.

 

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